Star Crossed Lovers- by Crunch
*Shortie- OH that's blueballs!!! Boy is my face red. hah hah, that is funny from my pov, and it's alright, the lengthy desciption was appreciated. Oh good, no more Baron, though it's too bad, cause I had somethingg special for him *shrugs and shoes away a greatly angered Blink, back from the dead!* He'll get his chance some other time I espect. Heh, yep my one nauty word, boy do I like to live on the wild side. .. hah Spotty with a foam glove, oh the indignity. . . oh thankyou so much! Yes it is I, the master of cliff hangers. . .all bow before me! *frowns dissapointedly when NOBODY bows.* eh, c'est la vie.
*Jo- ah, decisions decisions. Oh, jo, I so don't deserve a reviewer like you! You ROCK!!! I hope I can pull it off. . .though we might be in for a few shall we say. . .plot twists? Near the end. But I'm not saying another word! Shh, keep the exclusive quiet, okies? For your eyes only! ;D Thanks!
*Deejay Supastar- Oh yes, It's me, UPDATE GIRL! Bringing you semi-quality updates at the speed of light!
*Omni- wow, have you noticed your name keeps getting shorter and shorter as I get lazier and lazier? So sad. Any whoo, yes chocolate. Cause chocolate has endorphins, and endorphins make you happy, and when you're happy you don't abuse your characters as much. Obviously didn't work well though. . .keep reading, despite the big tissue-palooza!
*Falco Conlon- Oh, no don't worry! *picks up Spot and dusts him off vigorously, to Spot's dismay and Crunch's delight* He's not a bad guy, just a big ol' lush. He'll get better. Thanks for the reivew! Keep on trucking!
*Rumor- ok , sure, Selma Hayek, with out the pig tails and that. . .weird pole thing. . . Any whoo, yes inspiring. I said it, and I meant it. Hehe, really? I've never had my warnings praised before, thanks! Yes, Lady does have a short memory. But it's not cause she loves Baron any less, she's just grown to love herself more. Not a good thing.
*SparksdaNewsie- I know, I know, its too short. My love of writing is sadly overpowered by my love of laziness. But there will be more, worry not. STORIES! MORE SPARKS STORIES! YIPEE! Ooh, do update. Hmm, I think I'll take that in a Skittery, please. * also stuffs a candy-coated Race in her pocket as she meanders out innocently* keep reviewing!!!
*Misprint- nyuk nyuk nyuk, I know watcha mean, Ruby. Theres a few things I'd like ta do as well. . . hee - ba ha ha is such a funny laugh. . . oh yes don't worry, Spot isn't really a total bastard. He's just drunk. Very very drunk, very very often. But he gets redeemed, worry not!. . .yes, you never can trust the plump and cute ones, they'll turn on you like THAT *smacks hands together, startleing a sleeping Race!muse awake as he falls out of his computer chair.* oops, poor little bugger. Ah, thanks you so much, it means a lot that you stick with it even through those little angsty parts. . .wish I could tell you it only gets better from here, but. . .
*Doll Face- Yes, when I say sad I mean sad, and don't you doubt it! Oh, worry not, see Spot's REALLY not that mean. Really. He was just. . .on the drunker side of very drunk. Not a pleasant lush, you see. But he gets better. . .wait for it. . .keep waiting. . . Oh good, updates! *does the celebretory update dance, dragging a glowering Race!muse to his feet* keep reading!!!!
Also, gotta thank all the people who reviewed my last bitter, crappy-one- chappie. Ok, that said, I'm tired of writing angst. Angst makes me sad. I prefer to be happy. Ergo, for my next c-o-c, I promise fluff and fun! Just. . . not right now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was funny, Kloppman reflected, how fate seemed to be working so hard against them. First the death of Blink, then Baron's murder, Racetrack's expulsion from Brooklyn, and just when he'd thought the situation couldn't get any lower, behold - here was a lower place.
"Mm, I- I. . .I don't know, my boy. Thursday is, well. . .it's mighty soon." Kloppman's brother spoke in a trembling voice, clutching the trusted bible to his heart.
"I know dat, sir, but dat's when Spot. . .er. . .dat's when me friend wants da weddin', an I'm da last person ta make Spot angry by arguing." Vaguely wondering if it was an even greater sin to eavesdrop in church then it would be in the outside world, The owner of the Lodging house crept along the pews until every word exchanged between the old priest and the young newsie was clear at day.
"But, uh, it is my knowledge that the girl you. . .intend to wed, isn't aware of the arrangement. Atleast, that's what I'm told."
"Well, sir, dese is tough times, so we haven't really had a moment to. . . discuss it. But dat's why we's in a rush, you see, desparate times call fah desparate measures, an all dat." Frenchy shrugged, figiting nervously under the wary gaze of the priest. Though to be truthful, he had no idea why- after all, he'd done nothing wrong.
"I understand, ofcourse, but. . .Ah! Here comes the very girl I've been waiting to see!" Kloppman turned at his brother's cry, to see Ruby, much more sober then usual, plodding grimly up the aisle. Briefly she met his elderly eyes with her young and tear stained ones, before turning her attention to the priest and pasteing on a painfully bright smile.
"Ruby!" Frenchy turned and grinned delightedly, extending one muscular arm to his fiance with all the grace and machoism of a regular prince charming. Politely, the girl excepted the gesture, though never looking him square in the face. "Glad ta see ya, my futah wife!"
"I'm not ya wife yet, Frenchy." She spoke in a voice void of anger, infact, void of any emotion. Frenchy, who barely had time to notice such small changes in people while concentrating on himself, remained oblivious.
"Ah, give it time, ey love?"
Having heard enough of the conversation to want it stopped, Kloppman threw his arms wide as he approached the three, speaking in a voice as seemingly oblivious as Frenchy. "Ah, Ruby, so nice to see you again. . .it's been so long! You've, uh, come to confess to my brother, no doubt."
Frenchy smiled politely, slightly thrown by the intrusion, but decided not to pay it too much thought. "I'm soah she has, Sir. Gonna tell im how much ya love me, ey?" He flashed a pompous but brilliant grin.
"Well, dat would be tellin, wouldn't it?" Ruby offered, turning her gaze to Kloppman and the priest. "Is dis a bad time?"
"No, Mr. Beaumont was just leaving, weren't you, my boy?" The priest offered hastily, to Frenchy's slight bemusement.
"Uh, yeah, sure I was. Hey, who'm I ta distoib holiness, ey?" With a deep bow, that left Frenchy unaware of Kloppman's rolling eyes, the strapping newsie left with a wave, humming 'here comes the bride' as he went.
"Smug little punk, isn't he?" The preacher snorted, before retreating to his office to give the remaining two their privacy.
Kloppman threw himself wearily into a near by pew, sighing with exasperation. This was just too much. "Ruby, don't pay him any attention. We'll think of somethi- " The old man trailed off at the sight of the glittering street knife, glaring strangely and visciously from Ruby's small, pale fist. Why the hell did she have a knife? "Er, why the hell do you have a knife?"
"You gotta help me, Mr. Kloppman." Ruby shuddered at the sound of her voice, as hopeless and deadened as the scraping of dried leaves over cobblestones. "I aint askin' you, I'm tellin youse. If you can't find a way ta make dis wedding go away. . ." She glanced tearfully at the awkward blade. "Den I will."
Kloppman could have screamed from shear frustration. As it was, he clenched his teeth to restrain himself. "I've had it up to here with the killing! First Race, then you. . . have you both gone mad?!" As she shrank back in fear, he quickly realized that the stradegy he'd used with Racetrack might not be a wise course of action. Kloppman hastily changed his tune. "Look, Ruby, this isn't the way out. I'm sure if we just think calmly, withOUT the weapon, then we can come up with. . ."
His tired eyes lit suddenly with the spark of a hastily laid plan. It was crazy, sure, but it just might work - "If your willing to stab yourself just to avoid this wedding, then I, I think you might just go for this."
Reluctantly, Ruby lowered her knife and whiped a hand across the tears that clung to her cheeks. "Ok, I'm listenin'."
"Right then, this is what we'll do." The words tumbled from his mouth as soon as he'd thought of them. "You'll go back to Brooklyn and tell your friend Spot that you've changed your mind. You've thought about it, and you've decided Frenchy isn't so bad of a guy."
"This plan seems very counta productive ta me."
"Well it gets better. After you've accepted the marriage, find a place where you can be alone - a bedroom, a bathroom, a broom closet for all I care. Then. . ." he glanced around the empty church as furtively as his creaking old joints would allow. "You'll take a drug." Kloppman lowered his voice to a dry whisper as Ruby leaned in, intrigued. "A drug I've heard about from the news boys at the lodging house. One of them knows a girl, a girl who sells this mixture , and I can have it to you by tonight."
"What. . .what does it do?"
"Well, it kills you." He held up his calloused palms, cutting of Ruby's protests. " Except it doesn't really kill you, it just makes it seem that way. One of my newsies took it once to escape a nasty debt collector. . . ofcourse I would've stopped it had I known, but well, in this case. . ." His eyes flitted back and forth from Ruby's eager young face to the abandonned knife. "Desperate times, you know?"
Ruby nodded agreeably, though this plan was starting to make her head throb. "Then what?"
"Well, after that it will be easy!" Kloppman leaned back against the velvet cusions, a confident, Frenchy-like smile adorning his wrinkled features. "After the funeral, you'll wake up, and we'll send you off to Queens, where you can stay with Racetrack and his pals. It's a good plan!" Reassuringly, he patted Ruby's hand as she cringed fearfully.
"Trust me, it can't fail."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Well with that chapter, I have an announcement. I've decided to discontinue this story, and all my others, in favor of the Harry Potter craze. So long!
YEAH RIGHT! Hee hee, like I'd abandonned you guys. *shakes head amusedly* so gullible. *runs off to avoid race!muse's flying fists of terror* REVIEW!
*Shortie- OH that's blueballs!!! Boy is my face red. hah hah, that is funny from my pov, and it's alright, the lengthy desciption was appreciated. Oh good, no more Baron, though it's too bad, cause I had somethingg special for him *shrugs and shoes away a greatly angered Blink, back from the dead!* He'll get his chance some other time I espect. Heh, yep my one nauty word, boy do I like to live on the wild side. .. hah Spotty with a foam glove, oh the indignity. . . oh thankyou so much! Yes it is I, the master of cliff hangers. . .all bow before me! *frowns dissapointedly when NOBODY bows.* eh, c'est la vie.
*Jo- ah, decisions decisions. Oh, jo, I so don't deserve a reviewer like you! You ROCK!!! I hope I can pull it off. . .though we might be in for a few shall we say. . .plot twists? Near the end. But I'm not saying another word! Shh, keep the exclusive quiet, okies? For your eyes only! ;D Thanks!
*Deejay Supastar- Oh yes, It's me, UPDATE GIRL! Bringing you semi-quality updates at the speed of light!
*Omni- wow, have you noticed your name keeps getting shorter and shorter as I get lazier and lazier? So sad. Any whoo, yes chocolate. Cause chocolate has endorphins, and endorphins make you happy, and when you're happy you don't abuse your characters as much. Obviously didn't work well though. . .keep reading, despite the big tissue-palooza!
*Falco Conlon- Oh, no don't worry! *picks up Spot and dusts him off vigorously, to Spot's dismay and Crunch's delight* He's not a bad guy, just a big ol' lush. He'll get better. Thanks for the reivew! Keep on trucking!
*Rumor- ok , sure, Selma Hayek, with out the pig tails and that. . .weird pole thing. . . Any whoo, yes inspiring. I said it, and I meant it. Hehe, really? I've never had my warnings praised before, thanks! Yes, Lady does have a short memory. But it's not cause she loves Baron any less, she's just grown to love herself more. Not a good thing.
*SparksdaNewsie- I know, I know, its too short. My love of writing is sadly overpowered by my love of laziness. But there will be more, worry not. STORIES! MORE SPARKS STORIES! YIPEE! Ooh, do update. Hmm, I think I'll take that in a Skittery, please. * also stuffs a candy-coated Race in her pocket as she meanders out innocently* keep reviewing!!!
*Misprint- nyuk nyuk nyuk, I know watcha mean, Ruby. Theres a few things I'd like ta do as well. . . hee - ba ha ha is such a funny laugh. . . oh yes don't worry, Spot isn't really a total bastard. He's just drunk. Very very drunk, very very often. But he gets redeemed, worry not!. . .yes, you never can trust the plump and cute ones, they'll turn on you like THAT *smacks hands together, startleing a sleeping Race!muse awake as he falls out of his computer chair.* oops, poor little bugger. Ah, thanks you so much, it means a lot that you stick with it even through those little angsty parts. . .wish I could tell you it only gets better from here, but. . .
*Doll Face- Yes, when I say sad I mean sad, and don't you doubt it! Oh, worry not, see Spot's REALLY not that mean. Really. He was just. . .on the drunker side of very drunk. Not a pleasant lush, you see. But he gets better. . .wait for it. . .keep waiting. . . Oh good, updates! *does the celebretory update dance, dragging a glowering Race!muse to his feet* keep reading!!!!
Also, gotta thank all the people who reviewed my last bitter, crappy-one- chappie. Ok, that said, I'm tired of writing angst. Angst makes me sad. I prefer to be happy. Ergo, for my next c-o-c, I promise fluff and fun! Just. . . not right now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was funny, Kloppman reflected, how fate seemed to be working so hard against them. First the death of Blink, then Baron's murder, Racetrack's expulsion from Brooklyn, and just when he'd thought the situation couldn't get any lower, behold - here was a lower place.
"Mm, I- I. . .I don't know, my boy. Thursday is, well. . .it's mighty soon." Kloppman's brother spoke in a trembling voice, clutching the trusted bible to his heart.
"I know dat, sir, but dat's when Spot. . .er. . .dat's when me friend wants da weddin', an I'm da last person ta make Spot angry by arguing." Vaguely wondering if it was an even greater sin to eavesdrop in church then it would be in the outside world, The owner of the Lodging house crept along the pews until every word exchanged between the old priest and the young newsie was clear at day.
"But, uh, it is my knowledge that the girl you. . .intend to wed, isn't aware of the arrangement. Atleast, that's what I'm told."
"Well, sir, dese is tough times, so we haven't really had a moment to. . . discuss it. But dat's why we's in a rush, you see, desparate times call fah desparate measures, an all dat." Frenchy shrugged, figiting nervously under the wary gaze of the priest. Though to be truthful, he had no idea why- after all, he'd done nothing wrong.
"I understand, ofcourse, but. . .Ah! Here comes the very girl I've been waiting to see!" Kloppman turned at his brother's cry, to see Ruby, much more sober then usual, plodding grimly up the aisle. Briefly she met his elderly eyes with her young and tear stained ones, before turning her attention to the priest and pasteing on a painfully bright smile.
"Ruby!" Frenchy turned and grinned delightedly, extending one muscular arm to his fiance with all the grace and machoism of a regular prince charming. Politely, the girl excepted the gesture, though never looking him square in the face. "Glad ta see ya, my futah wife!"
"I'm not ya wife yet, Frenchy." She spoke in a voice void of anger, infact, void of any emotion. Frenchy, who barely had time to notice such small changes in people while concentrating on himself, remained oblivious.
"Ah, give it time, ey love?"
Having heard enough of the conversation to want it stopped, Kloppman threw his arms wide as he approached the three, speaking in a voice as seemingly oblivious as Frenchy. "Ah, Ruby, so nice to see you again. . .it's been so long! You've, uh, come to confess to my brother, no doubt."
Frenchy smiled politely, slightly thrown by the intrusion, but decided not to pay it too much thought. "I'm soah she has, Sir. Gonna tell im how much ya love me, ey?" He flashed a pompous but brilliant grin.
"Well, dat would be tellin, wouldn't it?" Ruby offered, turning her gaze to Kloppman and the priest. "Is dis a bad time?"
"No, Mr. Beaumont was just leaving, weren't you, my boy?" The priest offered hastily, to Frenchy's slight bemusement.
"Uh, yeah, sure I was. Hey, who'm I ta distoib holiness, ey?" With a deep bow, that left Frenchy unaware of Kloppman's rolling eyes, the strapping newsie left with a wave, humming 'here comes the bride' as he went.
"Smug little punk, isn't he?" The preacher snorted, before retreating to his office to give the remaining two their privacy.
Kloppman threw himself wearily into a near by pew, sighing with exasperation. This was just too much. "Ruby, don't pay him any attention. We'll think of somethi- " The old man trailed off at the sight of the glittering street knife, glaring strangely and visciously from Ruby's small, pale fist. Why the hell did she have a knife? "Er, why the hell do you have a knife?"
"You gotta help me, Mr. Kloppman." Ruby shuddered at the sound of her voice, as hopeless and deadened as the scraping of dried leaves over cobblestones. "I aint askin' you, I'm tellin youse. If you can't find a way ta make dis wedding go away. . ." She glanced tearfully at the awkward blade. "Den I will."
Kloppman could have screamed from shear frustration. As it was, he clenched his teeth to restrain himself. "I've had it up to here with the killing! First Race, then you. . . have you both gone mad?!" As she shrank back in fear, he quickly realized that the stradegy he'd used with Racetrack might not be a wise course of action. Kloppman hastily changed his tune. "Look, Ruby, this isn't the way out. I'm sure if we just think calmly, withOUT the weapon, then we can come up with. . ."
His tired eyes lit suddenly with the spark of a hastily laid plan. It was crazy, sure, but it just might work - "If your willing to stab yourself just to avoid this wedding, then I, I think you might just go for this."
Reluctantly, Ruby lowered her knife and whiped a hand across the tears that clung to her cheeks. "Ok, I'm listenin'."
"Right then, this is what we'll do." The words tumbled from his mouth as soon as he'd thought of them. "You'll go back to Brooklyn and tell your friend Spot that you've changed your mind. You've thought about it, and you've decided Frenchy isn't so bad of a guy."
"This plan seems very counta productive ta me."
"Well it gets better. After you've accepted the marriage, find a place where you can be alone - a bedroom, a bathroom, a broom closet for all I care. Then. . ." he glanced around the empty church as furtively as his creaking old joints would allow. "You'll take a drug." Kloppman lowered his voice to a dry whisper as Ruby leaned in, intrigued. "A drug I've heard about from the news boys at the lodging house. One of them knows a girl, a girl who sells this mixture , and I can have it to you by tonight."
"What. . .what does it do?"
"Well, it kills you." He held up his calloused palms, cutting of Ruby's protests. " Except it doesn't really kill you, it just makes it seem that way. One of my newsies took it once to escape a nasty debt collector. . . ofcourse I would've stopped it had I known, but well, in this case. . ." His eyes flitted back and forth from Ruby's eager young face to the abandonned knife. "Desperate times, you know?"
Ruby nodded agreeably, though this plan was starting to make her head throb. "Then what?"
"Well, after that it will be easy!" Kloppman leaned back against the velvet cusions, a confident, Frenchy-like smile adorning his wrinkled features. "After the funeral, you'll wake up, and we'll send you off to Queens, where you can stay with Racetrack and his pals. It's a good plan!" Reassuringly, he patted Ruby's hand as she cringed fearfully.
"Trust me, it can't fail."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Well with that chapter, I have an announcement. I've decided to discontinue this story, and all my others, in favor of the Harry Potter craze. So long!
YEAH RIGHT! Hee hee, like I'd abandonned you guys. *shakes head amusedly* so gullible. *runs off to avoid race!muse's flying fists of terror* REVIEW!